About Us
NOTE: NGO Storytelling closed in December 2020. We are keeping the website up as a resource for you. We are not updating anything and not regularly checking the NGO Storytelling email account. You can reach Crystaline at crystaline@crystalinerandazzo.com and Laura at laura@laurapohl.com.
NGO Storytelling is a team of two humanitarian photographers and storytellers – and we want to share our advice and struggles with you.
We love talking about our work and our ethical storytelling approach.
Got a question or just want to say hi? Contact us at ngostorytelling@gmail.com.
Laura on the left and Crystaline on the right.
Laura Elizabeth Pohl is a documentary photographer and filmmaker who has worked with dozens of NGOs in Africa, Asia and the United States. She started NGO Storytelling to share her experiences as a humanitarian photographer and to explore different ways of telling stories about humanitarian issues. Laura believes it's important to show the dignity of all people who have entrusted her with their stories. www.laurapohl.com
Crystaline Kline Randazzo is a professional photographer who works with nonprofits and international organizations to share their stories through photos and videos. Her goal is vibrant, honest, and emotional storytelling that resonates with any audience. She loves creating stories that deserve to be told and living a life of adventure with her husband and their furry Zambian cat. www.crystalinerandazzo.com
Our Story
Laura started NGO Storytelling as a hobby in 2012 after receiving dozens of emails from people wanting advice on how to become a humanitarian photographer. She loved connecting with storytellers and feeling like she was giving back to the community.
A couple years later, Laura and Crystaline met when they both lived in Rwanda. They became friends, then colleagues, then business partners. By this time, NGO Storytelling was languishing as Laura focused her energy on other projects. She was ready to give up on NGO Storytelling. She planned to pen a "goodbye and thank you" final post, archive the website and move on – but she didn't tell anyone.
Then, out of the blue, Crystaline suggested they revive NGO Storytelling together. Ever since, they've worked hard to write blog posts, conduct interviews and produce podcasts that inspire and inform humanitarian storytellers around the world. NGO Storytelling now has almost 1,000 monthly newsletter subscribers and a dedicated community of storytellers.